Clay in the Hands

I was on a flight recently and overheard a conversation between a young journalist from Florida and another passenger next to me.  At first I was minding my own business but I heard a statement that piqued my interest.  I don’t know what the question was, but the young journalist answered by saying, “I am somewhat dissatisfied with the church.”

Again, I was trying to mind my own business, but as a pastor, when I hear a statement like that, my ears perk up.  The reason for the dissatisfaction?  She said, “The church just doesn’t seem to be involved in the community – it just seems to take but gives nothing back.”

I wanted to jump into the conversation but I didn’t.  I sat the rest of the flight and wrestled with this perception of the church.  As I sat and pondered what I heard, I began to try and see the situation from the eyes of a young professional.  There were lots of excuses I came up with in my head for why this person might feel the way she does.  Maybe her church experience has been unique.  Or maybe, she approaches church from the mentality of “what’s in it for me” (and she would not be alone in that approach).

But as I tried to take an objective look at church in general, I became convicted that she might be more right than she knows.  A church that does not look outward toward the community with the eyes of Jesus has lost focus of why the church really exists in the first place.  Is it possible that our churches have taken on more of a social club mentality than the focus of a family of believers seeking to share God’s hope and love to a hurting world?  It’s an issue of relevance.  How relevant is church to a person who is trying to make it in the world?

Here’s the challenge – couldn’t we all do a little better?  Couldn’t we all seek to see things as God sees things?  Couldn’t we all try and love others as God loves them?  God calls us to be light to a dark world and salt to a tasteless existence.  Be light and salt today!